Motor attachment for sewing machines



Feb-20, 1923.

2 sheets-sheet 1 F. F. HILLIX MOTOR ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Feb.20, 1923.

1 1,445,946 F. F. HILLIX MOTOR ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES FiledSepo., 12, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 11/2 1? izb %/4% 0 22 Arm-a #41144Patented Feb 20, 1923.

, a 1,445,946. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EosTEE E. HILLIX, or pLEvELANn, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T WHITE SEWING MAoninECOMPANY, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATTON' OF OHIO.

MOTOR ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Application filed September 12, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FOsTER F. HILL X, a citizen of the United States,residing at- Cleveland, in the-county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Motor Attachmentsfor Sewing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to motor attachments for sewing machines and hasfor its chief object to provide a simple and effective manner ofsupporting an electric driving motor directly on the arm of'the sewingmachine head, and in @manner such that the motor will not interfere withthe lowering of the head when the inyention is applied to machines ofthe drop head type, and. withoiitrequiringthat the motor be swung to aninoperative position, to permit the lowering of the head.

Further the invention aims to secure the motor to the arm of the sewingmachine head in the manner such that the spring bracket which ispreferably utilized will not only support the motor, but hold thedriving wheel thereof in frictional driving engagement with the handwheel of the machine. The invention may be briefly summarized asconsisting in certain novel details of construction and combinations andarrangements of parts which will be described in the specificationand'set forth in the appended claims. I

In the accompanying sheets; of drawings, Fig. 1 is a transversesectional view through a cabinet of -a sewing machine equipped with myimproved motor attachment in one embodiment of the invention, the headof the machine being shown in end elevation; Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe head showing the motor attachment; Figs 3 and 4 are views similar toFig. 1, showing slight modifications of the invention; Fig. 5 is aperspective view showing the 'motor supporting bracket of Fig. 3 with aslight modification; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the motorsupporting bracket of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a bracketsuch as shown in Fig. 3, with a further slight modification; and Fig. 8shows in perspective the lower part of the bracket of Fig. 1, the screwsfor attaching it in place, and a filler piece which may be employed, theparts being shown separated.

Serial No. 500,008.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents the cabinet which may be ofany suitable design and construction, and 11 represents the head of themachine which in this instance is mounted on a swinging platform 12,which is designed to be lowered into the cabinet when the machine is notin use, the machine here shown being of the well known drop head type.On the lower side of the platform is shown conventionally a rheostat 13which in this instance is connected to the motor by conductors 14,although it is not in the majority of instances the mounting had to beof such a nature that the motor could be swung to operative position andto an inoperative position under the horizontal arm of the head, so asto permit the head to be lowered into the caJb-inet. The mounting whichI have devised overcomes this difficulty, and at the same time has thefeatures of efliciency and extreme simplicity, and the mounting in thebest formsand embodiments now known to me will next be described.

In Fig. 1 the motor which is shown at 15 is supported from the uprightportion of the arm ofthe head by a flatresilient- 01' spring bracket inthe form of a strap 16. The lower end of this. bracket has a roundedportion secured by a pair of screws 17 in arounded seat or protuberance18 which may be in the form of a lug cast onto the arm of the head or inthe form of a pad secured thereto, but preferably the former. The screws17 pass through elongated slots in the lower rounded part of the bracketso as to permit an adjustment of the bracket. The bracket extends upalongside the vertical portion of the arm 11 and at its upper end issecured by screws 19 to a boss on one side of the frame of the motor.This arrangement permits the motor to stand close up to the arm, as isapparent from Fig. 1. The shaft of the motor is provided with a frictiondriving wheel 20-- which engages and drives; the usual hand wheel 21 onthe operating shaft of the head; The bracket or strap 16 being formed offlexible material holds the friction wheel yieldingly with the necessarypressure against the hand wheel, but the tension of the bracket, andtherefore the pressure with which the friction wheel engages the handwheel may be adjusted by loosening the screws 17 and slightly shiftingthe rounded part of the bracket in its seat.

In Fig. 3, substantially the same results are secured by a flat strap orbracket 22 which extends up along side the arm as in the first instance.In this case the lower end of the bracket is provided with an inturnedlip 23 (see also Figs. 5 and 6) and the upper end is secured to themotor, as in the first instance. The friction driving wheel 20 is causedto be held yieldingly but with the necessary pressure against the handwheel through the medium of a pair of screws 24 which pass looselythrough holes just above the lip 23 and through spring washers 25 whichare arranged between the heads of the screws and the outer face of thebracket, as shown.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, a spring bracket or strap 26 is employed,which at its lower end is secured to the lower part of the arm 11 byscrews 17 like the bracket shown in Fig. 1, and it is likewise securedto the motor as in Fig. 1, but in this instance the bracket or strap iscurved to provide greater elasticity.

However, I do not regard it, as necessary that the bracket be curved toobtain the necessary elasticity, or resiliency, as the straightconstruction shown in Fig. 1 is found to be satisfactory.

With the bracket shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and with the bracket 26 shown inFigs. 4 and 6. where the lower part of the bracket has a curved orrounded part engaging a. similarly shaped seat in the arm of the head,itjmay be desirable to employ a filler piece such as shown at 27 in Fig.8, which filler piece is adapted to engage the concavity or roundedportion in the lower part of the bracket, this filler piece having aflat outer surface against which the heads of the screws 17 may bear.

Furthermore. with the form-of the invention shown in Fig. 3, it may bedesirable to employ between the holding screws 24 and the lip 23 a setscrew 28 which may be threaded in the bracket and is adapted to bearagainst the adjacent face of the arm of the sewing machine head, toincrease the holding action of the spring washers 25 under the heads ofthe screws 24 shown in Fig. 3. In this event the set screw is prefcrablyprovided with a lock nut 29.

It may be desirable also to use a similar set screw designated 30, abovethe spring washers 25 and holding screws 24 as shown n Fig. 7, for thepurpose of forming a stop to limit the inward movement of the strapmasses or bracket 22, as for example, if the friction wheel shouldcontain a low spot or defect which would have a tendency tocause themotor and friction wheel to oscillate and possibly chatter. If the setscrew 30 is employed as shown in Fig. 7, it would first be adjusted sothat its inner end may engage the arm and thereby limit or prevent morethan the desired inner movement of the bracket, and would then be set inits adjusted position by a lock nut 31.

In all forms of the invention herein illustrated, the objects of theinvention heretofore enumerated are attained to a very high degree, andWhile I have shown three forms of the invention, I do not desire toconform to the precise details shown, but aim in my claims to cover allmodifications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scopeof my invention as set forth in the appended laims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a sewing machine head having an arm with an upperhorizontal portion, a motor attachment comprising a motor for operatingthe sewing machine, and a flexible or elastic strap or bracketsupporting the motor and secured at one end directly to the motor and atthe other end to the rear face of the arm of the head below the upperhorizontal portion thereof and below the motor.

2. A sewing machine head having a hand wheel and having an arm with anupper horizontal portion, and a motor attachment therefor comprising amotor having a friction drive wheel and a strap or bracket attached atits lower end to the arm of the head below the upper horizontal po tionthereof and at its upper end directly to the motor and serving tosupport the motor and to hold the drive wheel thereof in frictionalengagement with the hand wheel of the head.

3. In combination with the head of a sewing machine, having an arm witha substantially horizontal upper portion, a motor attachment comprisinga motor for driving the sewing machine, and an elastic or spring bracketfor supporting the motor, said bracket being secured to the motor, andbe 111g adjustably secured to the arm of the head below the upperhorizontal portion.

thereof and below the motor.

in the form of a strap secured. to the lower wheel, said strapext-ending alongside of portion of the rear face of the arm of the therear face of the upright portion of the ,head and extending upwardlyalong the arm of the head and adjacent its lower end latter and securedto the motor. secured to the arm. and having its upper por- 5 6. Asewingmachine head havingamotor t-ion between the motor and head and se- 15attachment comprising a motor with a friecured to the motor. tiondriving Wheel adapted to engage the In testimonytwhereof, I hereuntoaffix my hand Wheel of the head, a flat strap for signature.

' supporting the motor and holding its drive 10 wheel in properengagement with the hand FOSTER F. HILLIX.

